Varkala faces acute summer drinking water crisis

Thiruvananthapuram: Varkala is facing an acute drinking water crisis this summer, with supply from Vamanapuram River coming to a complete halt amid falling river levels, leaving residents dependent on tanker services and irregular distribution.According to a Kerala Water Authority (KWA) source in Varkala, water supply to the municipality began declining from March 1 due to a steady drop in water levels in the Vamanapuram River, the primary source for the region. "The pumping pressure had to be reduced from March as the river level fell. From April 27, supply was completely stopped after the water level dropped drastically," the source said. The disruption has severely affected households across multiple wards, where residents now receive little to no piped water. Many have been forced to rely on private water tankers or limited municipal supply, often at increased cost. The crisis is particularly concerning as Varkala relies heavily on the Vamanapuram scheme after the older Thoduve water project became defunct nearly two decades ago. With no alternative source currently functional, the municipality is left exposed during seasonal shortages. With temperatures rising and demand increasing, residents fear the situation could worsen in the coming weeks unless immediate and sustainable measures are implemented. "There is no certainty on when water will come. We store whatever we get, but it is never sufficient. Families are struggling every day, especially with the heat worsening," said Suresh S, resident of Chemmaruthi. Varkala municipality chairperson Geetha Hemachandran said emergency measures have been initiated to manage the situation. "A total of seven water tankers were deployed across different wards to supply drinking water. However, the situation has been worsening day by day, and this has led to protests even within the council, with some members raising demands for my resignation," she said. She added that contingency arrangements are being made in coordination with KWA. "I have already informed KWA about the seriousness of the situation. Based on discussions, KWA agreed to resume water supply on weekends in areas where tanker access is difficult. In other wards, water distribution will continue through tanker services until normal supply is restored," she added.